Central Europe is struggling to halt a third wave of COVID-19, with rising cases and deaths forcing governments to tighten restrictions. 

The highly contagious variant of the virus first identified in the UK has been blamed for the rapid rise and health systems in Hungary and Poland are struggling to cope. 

In Hungary, 275 people have died in the last 24 hours, the highest number of daily COVID-19 deaths in a week full of grim new records. In the same week, the nation overtook Czechia to claim the world’s highest daily deaths per capita. 

It was thought Hungary was nearing the peak of the third wave but now with almost 12,000 patients in hospital, it appears the wave is much bigger than expected. 

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Asking young people on the streets of Budapest about the situation they said it was "terrifying" and found the restrictions strict but what is needed to fight COVID-19. 

One university student, on her way back to college in London, said: "The numbers are not decreasing at all. I don't think the restrictions were enough and probably they should have announced them a lot earlier."

In Poland, the situation is just as stark. On Friday, a record number of new cases were reported, topping 35,000. 

The leaders of both nations have admitted this is the most difficult moment since the pandemic began.

Poland's Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told a news briefing on Thursday: "We are getting close to the limits after which the health service may not be functional. 

"We are a step away from the point when health services will be unable to treat patients properly, treat our citizens. And we have to do all we can to avoid this scenario."

From Saturday, Poland will have new restrictions. Kindergartens will be shut along with hair salons and there will be limits on people attending church services. 

The Hungarian response seems to fall the other way, the overnight curfew will be shortened and shops will close later. The number of shoppers allowed inside will be dictated by the size of the store. 

Yet Prime Minister Viktor Orban is still insisting there will be a "free summer," a point he reiterated on national radio on Friday. 

It seems there is a long way to go before that freedom begins, already the date for schools reopening has been pushed back to April 19. It follows a change in the government's stance to prioritize vaccinating teachers before they return to work.

Vaccination is still the Hungarian government's great hope. More than 1.8 million people have now had at least one dose of a vaccine.